Apple and IBM have just announced what the companies describe as a "landmark partnership" designed to "redefine the way work will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business change." Put more simply, they're aiming to combine their respective strengths and aggressively tackle the enterprise market. IBM says it will contribute its big data and analytics expertise, with Apple offering the "elegant user experience of iPhone and iPad." The move could transform Apple, which ordinarily focuses squarely on consumers, into a true business powerhouse. It could also touch off a new battle with Microsoft, which now more than ever is focused on the enterprise and cloud services.

IBM will sell iOS devices to corporate clients that come preloaded with enterprise software designed in collaboration with Apple; those apps will become available "starting this fall" with more debuting in 2015. Both companies are promising "a new category of mobile apps" that address the needs of specific industries like "retail, healthcare, banking, travel, telecommunications, and insurance." The apps will of course make heavy use of IBM's cloud infrastructure, all the while coexisting with Apple's own services like iCloud. Apple also announced that it plans to add a new "AppleCare for Enterprise" customer service tier that will provide IT departments and users with 24/7 support.

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....

For once, the dramatic language of a big new announcement is not exaggerated. The world’s most popular personal devices can become its most relied-upon business computers as well. Apple has turned what was a trickle of business-oriented additions to iOS into a comprehensive strategy for storming the walls of big enterprise. In seeking to address their few weaknesses, Apple and IBM could be setting the agenda for how we all do business for years to come.

It's basically a deal that IBM *has* to do, because their mainframe-based services businesses are under assault. How much of that business can be siphoned off by services providers (EC2, Azure, etc.)? Also, Apple wants to not depend on Microsoft (Azure is the backbone behind the App Stores and iTunes) - Apple wants to become independent of that.

The question is - can IBM make it work now, after having failed before? (Did or did NOT Apple originally go to IBM with the genesis of what became iTunes, only to eventually wind up with Microsoft?) What is IBM bringing to the table - other than increased desparation?

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....

Not surprised at all. There are always a ton more MS related postings while Apple, Google, and others are either missed or not cared about. Guess that is what this is called Neowin.

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....

what implications? IBM has no credible presence in MDM space (unless they bought somebody recently) and their cloud/mobile/enterprise offering isn't exactly great.

so they are expecting people to do their work on phones? This will fail big time.

Smartphones are becoming main stream in almost anything. Anyone, even children have a smartphone some where. But this target apple branded smartphones, hopefully IBM expand this to Android and Windows phone.

Smartphones are becoming main stream in almost anything. Anyone, even children have a smartphone some where. But this target apple branded smartphones, hopefully IBM expand this to Android and Windows phone.

It doesn't mean that they will be primary means for business. I just don't see most business abandoning PC to work with tablets/smartphones. Consumers may switch but I don't think businesses will.